I'm Michael
Lyman, filling in for the vacationing Steve
Kacir. For Thursday August 16, 2007 we highlight reports of GREAT
KNOT (West Virginia), AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, WILSON’S and RED-NECKED
PHALAROPES, ROSEATE SPOONBILL, WHITE IBIS, and LARK SPARROW. Please note
that the URL for the website has changed, and remember to check out the
website for additional content and information: http://www.dvoc.org/RBA/Current/Active/Index.htm

In West Virginia on August 13 some lucky observers at the Winfield Locks
and Dam were treated with views of an apparent GREAT KNOT. GREAT KNOTS
breed in Siberia and primarily winter in Australia through Indonesia,
if accepted this will be West Virginia’s first state record. The
bird has not been reported since this date, for more information see:

The long staying ROSEATE SPOONBILL at the Edwin
B. Forsythe NWR at Brigantine was last reported the evening of August
14. The bird deviated from its normal protocol of flying to the Gull Pond
in the evening and instead landed closer to the start of the drive, very
close to a group of birders looking in the opposite direction for a reported
White Ibis. All observers were treated to close views of the SPOONBILL.

Edwin
B. Forsythe NWR at Brigantine is still running hot this week. At least
two RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, one of which was a juvenile, were seen up to
August 12 in the SW corner of the W Pool. STILT, WESTERN, PECTORAL, LEAST,
SEMIPALMATED, WHITE-RUMPED SANPIPERS, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, SHORT-BILLED
DOWITCHERS, WHIMBREL, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 2/3 of which were juveniles,
and AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER have all been seen in the last week.

Non-shorebird sightings from the Edwin
B. Forsythe NWR at Brigantine this week have included CATTLE EGRETS,
along with SALT-MARSH SHARP-TAILED and SEASIDE SPARROWS, TRICOLORED HERON
and two BLUE GROSEBEAKS, one of which was singing near the experimental
pool. A LEAST BITTERN was seen in one of the small ponds just before the
tire grate. Other reports include 20 or so BOBOLINKS along the dikes,
a BLUE-WINGED TEAL, 4 juvenile YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS, LITTLE BLUE
HERON, and an AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN. On the 13th a juvenile WHITE IBIS
was seen feeding with a small group of GLOSSY IBIS at the beginning of
the south dike.

A second WHITE IBIS, again an immature, was seen from
the Skimmer (a wildlife tour boat sailing
out of Cape May) at the Sunset Lake Rookery between Wildwood and Wildwood
crest. Sunset Lake is off New Jersey Avenue in Wildwood Crest and the
rookery itself is on an island on the west side of Sunset Lake (Delorme
Atlas K-8). The Skimmer runs salt marsh cruises out of Cape May. Their
web site can be seen at www.skimmer.com.

Higbee
Beach on the morning of August 14 yielded 8 species of warblers, including
a male GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER, YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER and a YELLOW-BILLED
CUCKOO. Also at Higbee's on the 14th was a remarkable count of 57 BLUE-GREY
GNATCATCHERS, 11 YELLOW WARBLERS, 4 NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES, 3 juvenile
AMERICAN REDSTARTS, 1 PRAIRIE WARBLER, 40 or so EATERN KINGBIRDS, and
up to 50 CEDAR WAXWINGS. The fields and hedgerows at Higbee's produced
one WORM-EATING WARBLER and a LEAST FLYCATCHER.

Also in Cape May at the bunker pond (Cape
May State Park), of note were 5 STILT SANPIPERS, 1 WESTERN SANDPIPER,
and 5 fresh plumaged juvenile LEAST SANDPIPERS. A BAIRD’S SANDPIPER
(adult) was reported here on August 16. On August 12 a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE
was seen flying by with a flock of SANDERLING at the state park. A HOODED
MERGANSER was an unexpectedly early arrival at the new Plover Pond at
The
Nature Conservancy Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge (The Meadows). Sea
watching at Cape May Point produced 3 NORTHERN GANNETS and a single WILSON'S
STORM-PETREL.

On August 11 a LARK SPARROW was reported at the Cape
May State Park. It was observed at the first "new" metal
bridge on the red trail. It was seen for a while in this area before it
flew to the mud flat along Lighthouse Pond at the end of the creek. Click
here for pictures of this bird on Karl
and Judy Lukens's website.

On the 11th at Nummy's
Island held a single MARBLED GODWIT, many RED KNOTS, a BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVER and provided a side-by-side comparison of TRICOLORED and LITTLE
BLUE HERONS.

At Woodbine
Airport there were HORNED LARKS, an AMERICAN KESTREL and a pair of
NORTHERN BOBWHITE in the afternoon, and an EASTERN-SCREECH OWL responded
to some whistling.

On the 13 a first year BROWN PELICAN was at Stone
Harbor Point. One of the first juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS of
the season was also seen at Stone Harbor. 170 RED KNOTS were roosting
on Champagne Island along with
9 feeding PIPING PLOVERS and hundreds of SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS and SANDERLING.

At Stone Harbor point a PIPING PLOVER of the interior race (C. m. circumcinctus)
was found roosting with a small flock of Atlantic PIPING PLOVERS on the
morning of August 11. How many times has an interior race PIPING PLOVER
been seen in NJ? Also on August 11, a female NORTHERN BOBWHITE, MARBLED
GODWITS, 125 RED KNOT, 50 WILLETS (5 or so of the eastern race) were at
Stone Harbor. At the nearby Champagne Island a COMMON LOON was hauled
out pretty far up the beach.

On August 12, the Salem/Cumberland County. Sod Farms
produced the following birds; Delea
Sod Farm, a.k.a. East Coast Sod Farm (Salem
Co.) held 200+ SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 6 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, KILLDEER,
and numbers of SEMIPALMATED and LEAST SANDPIPERS. Johnson Sod Farm(Cumberland
Co.) held 7 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS along Hannah's – Olivet Road
and many KILLDEER along Grier's Lane. On August 14 an UPLAND SANDPIPER
was seen along Rt. 77 at the north side of Hannah's – Olivet rd.
Also in the area were 73 CATTLE EGRETS at the pond along Featherbed Lane.
Another count at DeLea noted 220 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 150 KILLDEER, WHITE-RUMPED,
LEAST, SEMIPALMATED, and PECTORAL SANDPIPERS.

At the Sunset Rd. area at Mannington Marsh 6 COMMON
MOORHENS were seen. Also seen at Mannington were 13 LITTLE BLUE HERONS,
including 12 adults and 1 immature.

On August 11 a nature walk in the Pine Barrens produced
22 GULL-BILLED TERNS and a GLOSSY IBIS at the Franklin-Parker Preserve.
Several PURPLE MARTINS were still hunting over the bogs. Other birds seen
and still being heard were EASTERN PHOEBE, EASTERN KINGBIRD, EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE
and GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER.

An interesting count of 7 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES were
found in Wharton Forest. This species seems to be irrupting this year
in many other states in addition to New Jersey. Also seen in the area
was a singing RED-EYED VIREO.

On August 11 a LEAST BITTERN and 5 GREEN HERONS were
seen feeding at dusk in the main pit at Palmyra
Nature Cove.

John Heinz
NWR at Tinicum has hosted BOBOLINKS this past week. Most were seen
in the wild rice area between the main impoundment and the 420 entrance,
although one was reported near the Visitor’s Center. A SNOWY EGRET
and LITTLE BLUE HERON (both juveniles) have joined the throngs of GREAT
EGRETS and GREAT BLUE HERONS feeding on stranded carp. Shorebirds continue
in impressive numbers with WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS,
STILT SANDPIPERS and BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS being birds of note.

A COMMON NIGHTHAWK was heard on Wednesday night from
the Market St Bridge in Philadelphia.

Church
Rd Mudflats at Green Lane State Park continues to be a productive
spot with up to 3 CASPIAN TERNS seen there on August 13. Also this day
there were 8 species of shorebird encompassing multitudes of KILLDEER
and LEAST SANDPIPERS, and lesser numbers of PECTORAL, SEMIPALMATED, SOLITARY
and SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, LESSER YELLOWLEGS and SEMIPALMATED PLOVER. On
the evening of the 15th an observer did not have any terns but 2 eclipse
plumaged GREEN-WINGED TEAL and 2 COMMON MERGANSERS were present in addition
to the continuing variety of shorebirds.

Robin Run Reservoir on the morning of August 12 had
GREEN HERON, MUTE SWAN, WOOD DUCK, HAIRY WOODPECKER, BLUE-WINGED WARBLER,
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, AMERICAN REDSTART and FIELD SPARROW.

Core
Creek Park August 11 and 12 had 2 BALD EAGLES, GREAT EGRET (high count
of 26 on August 11), GREAT BLUE HERON (high count of 11 on August 11),
WOOD DUCK, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, BELTED KINGFISHER, and EASTERN KINGBIRD.

At the Lower
Makefield Township Memorial Park, on August 11 one observer counted
50+ swallows (BARN, TREE, CLIFF, and NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED) sitting in
the parking lot. Also there this day were RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS.

On August 11 a low flying MERLIN was spotted over a
woodworking
shop in Levittown.

At a home near Langhorne, a happy homeowner had a molting
male RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH land on a feeder just 6 inches from their face!

Pennypack Ecological
Restoration Trust on the morning of August 10 had a good warbler fallout
for this early in the season. Birds noted there were BLUE-WINGED WARBLER,
AMERICAN REDSTART and BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS. In trees by the creek
bridge were a juvenile BALTIMORE ORIOLE, RED-EYED VIREO, and many CEDAR
WAXWINGS.

On the morning of August 10 along Pennsbury Rd at Quaker
Penn Park, in Falls Township
an observer witnessed an OSPREY (1 of 3 or 4) carrying a stick longer
than its body, with vines hanging from it. In researching, the observer
found that Ospreys re-use their nests, and sometimes maintain a 2nd nest,
making repairs all during the nesting and post-nesting season. Thanks
Bill Keim for this little tidbit of avian knowledge! Other interesting
birds noted here were, GREAT BLUE HERON, GREAT EGRET, LAUGHING GULL, EASTERN
WOOD-PEWEE, EASTERN KINGBIRD, CEDAR WAXWING (noted to also be building
a nest) and YELLOW WARBLER.

Morrisville
Levee on the morning of August 13 had a COMMON LOON in 1st summer
plumage underneath the Calhoun Street Bridge to Trenton. The bird was
swimming within ten feet of the PA side, and the observer got within 20
feet of the loon. The observer noted that COMMON LOON is seldom seen this
time of year around inland locations like Bucks
County. Other species noted from here were 4 COMMON MERGANSER, 27
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, GREAT BLUE HERON, GREAT EGRET, a juvenile BALD
EAGLE noted to be circling slowly right above the levee path, SPOTTED
SANDPIPER, 500+ NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, and CEDAR WAXWING.

Another COMMON LOON was reported on August 13, this
bird in breeding plumage and found at the Tohickon launch ramps of Nockamixon
State Park.

On August 12, an observer notes being woken up by the
tooting sound of a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL in Levittown. Also this day in
Levittown migrant warblers included BLACK-THROATED BLUE, AMERICAN REDSTART
(female) and a CANADA WARBLER.

In Chester
County an observer reports RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES. A few birds were
heard singing on private property in SW Chester County on Saturday, August
11th.

In Eastern Berks
County an observer had RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH calling at dawn on August
10. Also this day a WHIP-POOR-WILL was noted calling. Nocturnal flight
calls from this area have included VEERY, WOOD THRUSH and ROSE-BREASTED
GROSBEAK. An observer noted that RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD migration seems
to be at peak in this area, with daily pulses of bickering birds at flowers
and many feeder refills.

In Northampton
County RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES are being seen mostly in the early
mornings. Also here BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS, and YELLOW and CHESTNUT-SIDED
WARBLERS are putting in sporadic visits to the observer’s feeder
area, as are INDIGO BUNTINGS. Also noted here was that RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD
activity at feeders and flowers remain steady and high.

In Carbon County at the lower parking lot of Blue
Mountain Ski Area in the town of Little Gap an observer found the
following migrants on the morning of August 15; PHILADELPHIA VIREO, found
foraging with WARBLING VIREOS, paused and sang for observer and WILSON’S
WARBLER. Other birds noted here were BLACK-THRAOTED GREEN WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE
WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, 5 PRAIRIE WARBLERS, OVENBIRD, COMMON
YELLOWTHROAT, BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, ORCHARD ORIOLE, SCARLET TANAGER,
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK and YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO.

On a last ditched try to beat the PA
Breeding Bird Atlas safe dates for Eastern Screech Owl (last safe
date considered to be August 15), one ardent observer found 39 calling
EASTERN SCREECH OWLS in 12 Upper
Bucks County blocks. Now that is dedication! Unofficially, Upper Bucks
is the EASTERN SCREECH OWL capital of North America according to recent
CBC stats.

On August 16, a report was received of a male EUROPEAN
GOLDFINCH coming to a feeder near Core
Creek Park in Langhorne. One well respected naturalist reminds us,
we shouldn't just assume these Eurasian birds are recently escaped cagebirds.
Any sightings should be documented and reported, since this may be the
beginning of new breeding populations. (Or not; European goldfinches were
established on Long Island in the early 20th century, and eventually died
out.) Julie Craves at the Rouge River Bird Observatory in Michigan has
been tracking European goldfinch sightings in the Midwest since a large
importer apparently released many in 2002; her site is http://www.umd.umich.edu/dept/rouge_river/eugo.html.
She is also
tracking sightings of other Eurasian songbirds, including
chaffinches, Eurasian siskins and jays, which may also have been
released and which may now be breeding across eastern North America.

*** ANNOUNCEMENTS ***

There is a DVOC field trip to Edwin
B Forsythe NWR at Brigantine scheduled for August 18, which will meet
at the refuge headquarters at 8:00 am. There is no field trip fee, and
members and non-members are welcome to attend. Please contact the trip
leader if you plan on attending. Details can be found on the website:
http://www.dvoc.org

The next meeting of the DVOC is a special day at the Philadelphia
Zoo on Saturday, September 8, 10 am. Details are on the website, and
guests are welcome.

See Life Paulagics will be running
pelagic trips in the Delaware Valley region for the next month. Scheduled
trips include an overnight trip out of Lewes, DE on August 23-24, a trip
out of Belmar, NJ on August 26, and a September 16 trip out of Freeport,
NY. These trips are all filled and names are being taken for a waiting
list. Details can be found on their website at www.paulagics.com.

The Delmarva Ornithological Society is conducting research to study the
American Kestrel in Delaware, estimating population size, identifying
reasons for their decline, and developing strategies to stabilize the
population or reversing the decline. Please report all summer Kestrel
sightings in DE to the DOS website:

An agreement was reached concerning Palmyra Cove Nature Park with the
Army Corps of Engineers, Bridge Commission and DEP. The ACE will deposit
dredge spoils in only about 20 acres of the park, restricted to the big
pit area. A berm will be built to preserve the pond.

The Delaware Valley Rare Bird Alert is a weekly report on birding in the
Delaware Valley Region including Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.
To report birds or significant upcoming birding events and planned pelagic
trips, please email
. This is Michael Lyman, good
birding to you all and thanks for calling, surfing and reporting.

The Delaware Valley is the name given
to the region that lays on either side of the Delaware River, centered
on Philadelphia. This consists of southeastern Pennsylvania, central
and southern New Jersey and the state of Delaware.
The following counties fall within our boundaries.
(Click on a county name for information specific to the county)